The Bunny Maker is in the building!

*Streeeetch ... yaaawn*  What? what?  Waddya want? I was having a lovely sleeeep .... mumble mumble ....

Oh!  Hello .. it's you!  I know, I know, the blog has been dormant.  So, what's been happening?  Well, Widget has been having a long holiday - in fact he has been Inter-railing.  Is that something people still do or am I just showing my ages?  He sold enough of his home grown veg to buy a ticket and he's been off visiting different bunnies all over Europe.  He is back now, with some dodgy souveniers and in dire need of a wash!

And The Bunny Maker ... me, that is - Ahhhhhh, you see, I've been looking after lots and lots and lots of bunnies. The Warren Bunny Boarding is in full swing and we are filled up with soft ears and twitchy noses.

I also have a new bunny to look after .. Yeti Bun.  She is very weeny! This is her at when I got her.  She is now a bit bigger and looks just as adorable.  She's going to be my house bun.

I also have exciting news of a new offer to raise money for the Rabbit Welfare Association - in conjunction with Alison Fennel of East Witching.  Watch this space!

In which The Bunny Maker makes a Squid

I did.  Make a squid.  Thus, The Bunny Maker presents .....

"Sqwuideh"

He's almost 30cm tall, crocheted in cotton yarn, his legs containing those fuzzy pipe cleaner things .

I am very, very proud of him and he took all half term to crochet.  Next?  A lobster .... but of course!

Hippo Birdie To Me ....

Hippo birdie to me

Hippo birdie to me

Someone hacked my paypal

and stole my money

*sigh*

Yes, 'tis true.  And I hab a stinkin' colb.  It is also 4am and my throat is so dry that I have had to get up.  Are you feeling sorry for me?  I've sorted it out but it put me overdrawn in my bank account which has incurred charges, so I have the faff of getting it repaid.  Boooo. Don't like faff. 

I would just like to say a big hello to my brother's hairdresser who reads this blog *waves* who, as my brother says, seems to know more about me that he does.  Well, dear bro, if you perhaps read my blog *ahem*!  (My brother also makes inappropriate jokes about bunnies so he is in disgrace to begin with).

Since I announced I would be taking a little time out some people have exclaimed "No more bunnies? You're stopping making them????!! wahhhhhh!".  Not true, bunny lovers, I am still here, and I have opened my shops back up again.  I have sorted out a hooooooge pile of rubbish off my desk and have actually got the kids to school in the right order.  Now I feel I can cope a little better and the house isn't such a tip.  Please, there are bunnies needing homes, and they - need - YOU  (points in a poster type gesture).

I have given up two part-time jobs which were taking me out of the house too - phew! I needed the money but The Warren Bunny Boarding is taking off in a wonderful way and I even have a fully booked week in July.  We also need a new boiler (bye bye 2k) and the house stinks of oil - booooo.  This means we can no longer re-vamp our kitchen.  *sniff*.

All is not lost - I have successfully crocheted a squid!  I wanted to learn and I have.  He is a fabulous squid and I will post pictures today (ish).  How can a foot high crocheted squid not fail to make life seem better?

What did I get for my birthday?  Pukuuuuurk!  Chickens!  Well, a chicken house for chickens.  The house arrives this weekend and the chickens after the summer.  Three Pekins and two Frizzles.  Our garden is a disgrace anyway so they can't make it much worse!  We have no lawn at all - just bare, baked earth - chicken scratching heaven.  So, Mr Bunny Maker now has to deal with .... two bunnies, innumerable guest bunnies, Scooter the hamster, two bored fish and five chickens.  Serves him right for not letting us get a dog.
Now, what else can I sneak in?

In which The Bunny Maker wonders just when enough is enough...

Have you even suddenly reached the conclusion that you have had enough? I'm sure you have.  But, when is that thought at it's limit?  When you can no longer reverse from it and take another run up?  It seems that, here at The Warren, enough is finally enough.

I was brought up to believe that I could do anything if I put my mind, or hand to it and, pretty much, I can. I am very capable, or I thought I was. In turning this capable hand to making things I can whip up an idea in minutes, I can launch a website and raise over £600 within weeks for charity- I can start an online business from nothing - no knowledge, nothing.  I know how to market my product and myself on the internet and I know how to sell from the kitchen table, as the saying goes.

What I can't do is remember to do things.  Last year I filled in my tax form online but forgot to complete the final step.  Hence I was fined £100.  Luckily, as I was not due to pay tax, the fine was not applicable.

Last weekend I booked tickets and turned up for an event that was not scheduled until the end of this month.

For my son's last birthday I booked the cinema for 7 seats for the friday and turned up on the saturday.  Luckily they had seats but I still had to pay again.

I forgot to pay for our boiler service and very nearly got a black mark on our credit record.  All it took was one phone call.

I booked a holiday via email last year, didn't pay the deposit, as we decided not to go to the destination, assuming this would somehow negate the booking and then not remembering to contact them to let them know.  Now they are asking us to pay for that holiday.  We have just paid to go somewhere else. 

There are hundreds of instances of my memory failing such as the above but it is the last example which has made me take stock.  Enough is enough.  My head is in fifty different places at once and brain is in none of them.  What I worry about though is my idle mind.  My idle mind gets into trouble and needs to be pinned to something or disaster ensues. 

I've put all my shops into holiday mode, I've cleared out half of my things from my beautiful workroom, and moved the boys (and the Playstation) back in.  Soon I will only have the house, the shopping and being a parent to worry about.  This is the thing I should be turning my mind to, and focusing on right now.

For now ... my lovely blog followers (and I don't realise how many I do have until I actually meet people who say "You're The Bunny Maker,I follow your blog!") I am in 'screensaver mode' - kinda here, but kinda not.  That is why all my shops announce a holiday (oh ha ha, a holiday? have two!) and the only thing on my facebook page are my Cityville updates!

The Bunny Maker would like to announce that, finallly, enough is enough.

In which The Bunny Maker succeeds at something - finally.

At the start of this year I announced to anyone who was listening (so that's just me and the bunnies) that I was going to teach myself to crochet.  I can knit.  I hate knitting.  I hate it because I can't do it properly.  I hated to crochet too, the one time I had tried and got all tangled and confuzzled.  So, 2011 was going to be the year I got on and did it because, quite honestly, I can just about most other things with my hands.  The first things I did were a little doggie and some Ninjas, just to warm up.  Then, finally, what I wanted to do all along ..... bunnies!!!!

 

He is purple with green inner ears, with lots of soft fuzz, plus a removable hat (because it might get hot).

Of course he now belongs to BunSon No.1 who has named him, with great originality, 'Bwunny'.

Anyone who knows anything about crochet would take one look and gasp at the terrible stitching and the fact that neither arms nor legs are the same size as each other.  But, for my third crochet attempt - i'm pretty happy.

We've just come back from a stonking week on the Isle of Wight.  The boys swam, caught crabs and built yet more stone piles.

It felt like summer and noone wanted to leave but we had to because the gorgeous Henry was arriving. 

He is a lovely, Mini Rex boy with THE softest coat in the entire world.  Nosy and Spike might be soft and fluffy but Henry feels like satin.

 

I bought them a new house, just in case they overheard me cooing over Henry's coat and felt sad.  Oh the excuses I can come up with!

In which The Warren gets bigger ..

We have an addition to The Warren.  The Bunny Maker went to the pet shop and tried very hard not to give a home to any unwanted bunnies there.  It was hard.  Very hard, especially as there was a beautiful 14 month old girl.  Her owner had to pay out £200 in dental bills because she fed her the wrong food and all the teeth had grown too long and painful.  She stormed back to the pet store and dumped the bunny back on them!  It makes me veerrrry angry - but, I won't go into that.  Today is for celebration!

Welcome to Scooter!

He's a 5 month old male Chinese Dwarf Hamster.  He was up for re-homing as no-one had bought him or seemed to want him.  I have no idea why because he is adorable, gentle and sweet. He has no inclination to nip or bite and, as seen in the picture, likes to sleep under his wheel (which I removed to take the pic).  He's not what I went in for but he's what I came out with!!

Wake up Scooter!

Mr Bunny Maker is NOT amused.  He muttered about 'animals ALL over the place' but was told to stop being so horrible by all three Bun Sons, and it was pointed out to him that Scooter's house is about the size of our bread machine and he, himself, is no larger than a plum.  In the face of the truth of such minimal impact, Mr Bunny Maker, not having a leg to stand on, humphed off with resignation, muttering about light snacks and toilet flushing. This elicited Bun Son squarkings of high volume and The Bunny Maker left them to it.

The BOGOF Bunny Bonanza!

To celebrate Widget reaching 1500 friends on Facebook The Bunny Maker is running a 'buy one get one free' bonanza for March.

Yup - you buy one and ... er ..... you get the picture.  Bunnies bought this week will also come with red noses - and £1.00 donated to Comic Relief.
Widget has his ..

Get to the shop >>>>> BOGOF BUNNIES

The Warren opens up for Bunny Holiday!

Its been a long time in the planning but, like spring, it has finally arrived! The Warren Bunny Boarding is now open for business.  There's a website ... www.sussexbunnyboarding.co.uk

http://www.sussexbunnyboarding.co.uk

And THE BEST bunny accommodation EVER for your buns. I've maxed out on space - the largest housing covers 81 square feet - not including access to the lawn. I'm thinking of moving in myself!  We've also got space for Guinea Pigs, rats, mice, gerbils etc etc plus I would love to look after some reptiles too.
The website has loads and loads of pictures of the accommodation on it, so I won't post any here but you can look HERE.

This area above is going to be for Nosy and Spike now.  It's down the side of the house, away from the main garden.  The shed at the back is going to be converted for them, the fence has been bunny proofed with wire, there is going to be a nice fence and gate thingy where I am standing taking the picture.  The flower beds there have been cleared - mainly so I could wire the fences - but also to mamke way for lots of bunny friendly herbage. The kitchen door is just on the right there - so, they will be able to hop in and out of the house and still be safe.  I've bought a three storey hutch for them, to go into the shed.  They iz spoilt bunz!

The Warren has its first guests booked in - two bunnies and three guineas. I'm really very excited.  I've bought lots of exciting things from the garden centre too - but you'll have to wait for the next post for that .....

In which The Bunny Maker gets new boxes and a handful of birds.

Things are getting done this week.  Not like last, but we won't go into that.

New boxes arrived yesterday.  The Bunny Maker found that the place she got her usual ones from weren't stocking that kind again, but they did have these acetate ones. 

Widget thought that these boxes were much nicer as he could see out. The Bunny Maker agreed, and said they seemed sturdier too and would do very nicely indeed.

The Bunny Maker has also given Widget a very special task, one he is not all that happy about.  He does such a good job of looking after the baby bunnies that she thought that he could do the same with these VERY early Easter chicks.

This little one took a real shine to Widget.  Widget is feeling a bit too fuzzled by all the feathers at the moment to decide whether he likes this new duty or now.  He is just muttering about Easter coming earlier and earlier and how he hopes they don't make a mess all over The Warren.

Working on a Wedneday

Okay - that sounds rubbish but I missed 'Monday in The Burrow' - and, well, it is wednesday and I'm kinda working. 'Kind of' because somewhere, buried within the house, is a plastic sensor alarm.  Buried by a child.  Every time the sun comes out it sets it off.  Deenaa deeenaaa deeenaaaa deeenaaaaaaa.  Can I find it? NO!  It only does it for a few seconds to I can't track it down via the sound.  My teeth are on edge.

I'm uploading purple bunnies to the shop today.  And, as spring is in the air, lots and lots of little baby buns will be arriving this week too.  Spring is certainly in the air, which is why the sun keeps coming out AND SETTING OFF THE DEENAAAAAAAAA ALARM!

Spike is in full pouffy moult.  He won't let me near him and I want to pluck out the loose tufts.  Its tantalizing and driving me insane! I need to pull them out!!!

Look at that big clump all loose there on his back!  I want it!!!!!  Spike knows what I'm up to and is watching me carefully from, what he thinks, are strategically safe places ...

I've been up to some crafty things too.  My bag, made to order, and used every day for ever and ever, from Noah's Art Crafts needed a new handle.

So it got two, and several nice buttons, then I got carried away and it got another pocket too.

The bunny order for Japan was packaged up and sent off.  They are all very excited and snuggled into their green grassy fur box lining.

What a noisy box load I had to take to the post office! Having to explain to the queue what all the chittering and squeaking was turned out to be quite difficult.
"You've got 25 bunnies in a box?!!" etc etc etc

DEEEENAAAAA DEEEENAAAAAA

RIGHT! That's it ... Sorry, I'm off to hunt for the darn thing ....

Monday in The Burrow

So that was Half Term?  Pshaw, certainly gone quickly, eh.  Time to wake up and get back into The Burrow then.  What's a-happenin'?

I've started to paint up these mini fish for an order for wedding place settings.  50 weeny versions of my big bunches of fishies.

They are 4cm in length.  I have a free reign for colours and designs and am relieved not to have to come up with many, many variations of pink and white, in true wedding tradition.

Bouncing around in the background are a whole load of (very pink) bunnies, all waiting to be packed up and sent off to Japan.

I'm very excited that 25 of them are off to a lovely shop in Tokyo selling handmade British thingies.  Getting the bunzies to the home of all things pink and cute is excellent indeed.  One more step towards world domination!

So far that's it for the start of the week.  I've also got to get all ready for a house sale i'm having tomorrow - just selling off loads of bits and bobs for £5 and under.  A couple of friends are coming this evening to get in there first too.  So far everything in in boxes looking very unready.  So why am I here blogging .....

In which The Bunny Maker has a spot of bunny trouble

It was going well.  There were new bunnies arriving to have their photos taken for the shop.  The Bunny Maker had everything all set up nicely, Wilf was posing ready for the shot, when she noticed something.  Something troublesome.

Can you see anything?  Yes, exactly.  Bunny chewing.  Real bunny chewing.  Nosy and Spike chewing.  Not only are they systematically trying to fell my work table by nibbling through the MDF legs but they are setting about remodelling my light tent.  Grrrrrrr.

But the miracle that is Photoshop came to the rescue and Wilf was retouched and cropped and got ready for his shop debut.

 
The Bunny Maker was left muttering (as she often is) about bunnies and real bunnies and chewing and nibbling and annoying pesky things .....

Wilf is looking for a new home and you can find him in the shop on The Bunny Makers NEW website.  It's very yummy and she is quite pleased with it.

In which The Bunny Maker nearly trips over ...

The Bunny Maker opened the door this morning and nearly tripped over.  Tripped over with surprise and because she nearly stood on three little bunnies.  Standing, shivering and a little damp, on the doormat were three Eastery Bunnies.

"How early are you?" She exclaimed, "I've only just got the Christmas ones packed away and put the Love Bunnies in the shop for Valentine's Day!"

"We know we are early," squeaked the bunnies, "but we really don't think that people will only buy us for Easter."

"I suppose so," said The Bunny Maker, "come on in then, you look very cold."

After hot chocolate and Wagon Wheels the bunnies were all warmed up and ready for their photograph to be taken.

They did have a little grumble about the three eggs being plastic and NOT chocolate but apart from that it all went rather well.  They are now, very excitedly, waiting in the bunny shop on Folksy for new homes, leaving The Bunny Maker grumbling about lack of space, too many bunnies, who's eating all the biscuits etc etc

The Bunny Maker is famous ... (she thinks)

Oh yes.  Oh yes indeed.  I have column inches.  I have almost a whole page.  I am featured in the latest issue of the RWAF magazine 'Rabbiting On'.

I would just like to say that that is NOT me sky-diving.  I am the one looking, with rather sickly expression, at the basket of bunnies.  Trying to get a photo of me not looking grim was very distressing and I had to employ heavy usage of the 'Photoshop Botox' tool.  I still think I look 25 and always get a nasty shock when I see the 'real me'.  I suppose you want to know what it says?  Okay .. *engage speed typing function*

Handmade help for real-life rabbits
Designer and bunny owner Anna Hull, who runs a small craft business selling sock bunnies from her West Sussex home, has come up with a novel idea to raise money for the RWAF.  And in just six months has raised an amazing £500.
The Handmade Bunny was founded on 1st August last year and is quickly becoming the 'in place' to look for beautiful handmade products inspired by our bunny friends.   The artists featured on the site all pay an annual subscription in the form of a donation to the RWAF.
The Handmade Bunny was born of her involvement with the handmade online community, combined with her passionate support of the RAWF's 'A Hutch is Not Enough' campaign.
Anna told Rabbiting On: "I was driving one day and this perfectly formed idea popped into my head, along with the phrase "handmade help for real-life rabbits".  That night I messaged as many people as I could to invite them to join the project, bought the domain and drew up the outline for the website.  Our cute bunny logo was donated by an online contact and within three weeks the site was up and running with twenty sellers on board.
"On the site we have a great range of items including silver jewellery, custom pet portraits, water colours, fabrics, toys, stationery and cushions.  Each piece is lovingly designed or made by hand by fabulous artists and designers and all feature our favourite furry friends.  These is also a 'Zoo' section with other animals from woodlice to dogs to unicorns," she said.
"I wanted people to discover what amazing things the people I know are making," Anna explained.  "I have my own shop online, selling my sock bunnies, and every day I come across beautiful things made by artist, just like me, who are struggling to show the world what they can do.  Selling online is extremely difficult and this is my way of doing a bit to help at the same time as raising money for a fantastic charity.  At The Handmade Bunny you can shop for your bunny-loving friends and help the bunnies you love at the same time!".

There you are - that's what it says!

Monday in The Burrow

Well - another Monday is here - boooooo. Pretty dreary but lots of things are happening at The Burrow workroom.  A little order is off to Pink Blancmange, a soon to be launched website.  These are limited edition Mother's Day bunnies ...

I've also painted up the new range of wooden bunnies, to go on sale in my shops.  I've shifted ten of them already so i'll have to get busy now making some more.

Also in the pipeline are some more hanging birds.  I had these for sale about two years ago, but never repeated them for some reason.  So ..... here they are, on their way to be strung in twos.

And, remember I said I was going to teach myself to crochet this year?  Whatever it took - I was going to be able to do those cute amigurumimimilumi things?  Dun dun duuuuuuuuuun

I have to say that the pattern book was @$*& and, in the end, I kinda had to make it up myself.  Either that or I'm just @$*& at reading patterns.  So, the start of my rainbow ninja army.  Only 43 more to go.

What's on your desk, Bunny Maker?

Eh? What? Did you ask me something?  Oh, what's on my desk?  Why did you have to stop in today, everything is in a bit of a pickle ...

That is not fresh coffee either - age unknown. I can, however show you something less grim and more arty, seeing as you're here and all that.

I'm making up a new batch of wooden leaping bunnies.  Half of them are off to Fat Fluffs Rabbit Rescue to help them raise money at their Valentine's Day event.  The others will be for sale in ye olde bunny shoppe later on this week.  I have also been a-spending as usual ...

Possibly the most awesome and monstery fleece I have ever seen.  I have two precious squares of it, sent all the way from the U.S of A and it is so lovely that I will most likely never be able to put scissors to it.  All the BunSons want duvets, pillows and blankets made and BunSon3 would like his room carpeted with the turquoise one.  I'd like to cover our sofa in it. 
Tap..tap..tap..calculator bashing ensues..... Nope, too spenny, especially as I'm holding out for some renovations in our kitchen.  Mr Bunny Maker is not listening.

In which The Bunny Maker questions herself

On reflection I have to wonder if this is really a very 'normal' thing to do.

It's just that Nosy and Spike's fluff is so soft that, when you feel it, you simply can't feel it.  It was BunSon 3 who first saved a little bit and, then I kinda carried on.  It seemed logical to put it into this little pot .. which I had already.  I'm stating that so you don't think I went off looking especially for a heart-shaped one.  That might be construed along the lines of people who set a place at the table for their cat, or carry a small dog in a handbag.  Maybe.

Anyone else do this?  What shall I do with it?

In which the Bunny Maker has her life changed...

I took this picture ages ago and meant to blog about it but forgot. It seems a bit strange now harking back to Christmas but I was given something that has changed my life.

Here it is ....

My life-changing selotape dispenser!  You have no idea (or perhaps you do) of the seconds, nay minutes, I have wasted trying to find the end of the roll.  Finally, after having a very childish showdown with a very stubborn roll, I announced that all I wanted for Christmas was .....

"A selotape dispenser, but one of those like really, really heavy ones like you get on your desk in big companies from proper stationery shops and in a really dull colour, nothing fancy and shiny - a PROPER dispenser. Don't forget, it has GOT to be heavy."

I got one - and 5 new rolls of tape.  Packaging up orders is now fairly pleasurable.  Ho hum, its the little things.

BUNNY NEWS: We hear from Cosmos Bunny

Widget was beside himself. It had been a long time since any news from 'sold bunnies' had come back to The Warren, and most of the bunnies have long gone given up waiting for the postman. Sniff.

The other day The Bunny Maker called everyone into The Burrow workroom and showed them an email from one of their oldest friends Cosmos!

She said;
"I've had a snowy Christmas and discovered a new treat of pinky goodness; coconut ice!  Apart from carrots they are my favourite food but I was only allowed one, despite staring longingly at them for hours, nobody relented, hmph.  Before Christmas I helped to choose Morris sockbunny to go and live with our friends and I hear he is settling in very well, hopefully I'll get to visit him later in the year!

Bye for now,
Cosmos xo

What happy bunnies there are here! Bouncing and boinging all over the place, annoying The BM, scattering all her tax return papers all over the floor. She was VERY pleased to hear from Cosmos though and soon forgave the mess.

New Widget cards in the post - yay!

My new cards have just arrived today.  I'm quite excited. I have to say that I whipped them up in Photoshop far to fast and ordered them double-quick from Overnightprints.com.  I've used them before and was very happy, plus I had an email code discount thing to use.

I have 'For You', with an 'To and From' on the reverse, for anyone wanting to attach a gift message.  The other two to be packaged up with any bunnies going off to new homes.  I got 300 cards for aprox. £36.00 - all in, including tax and postage.  They arrived within a few days and are lovely quality.  Pleased Bunny Maker here.

The Bone in action!

Quite a few people have asked me for a picture of The Bone in action.  So, for you all, I present .... The Bone in action!

Now, the question is ..... should I make some to sell?

What am I waffling on about?  Read this post and all will become clear.

Pact Animal Sanctuary, Norfolk - Call for help

Widget is busy writing a cheque ... (great ear control there, Widge!).

He read a message from the Rabbit Welfare Association about the Pact Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk that has just taken in a huge number of neglected bunnies found in terrible conditions.  There were more than 70 rabbits and babies, housed in filing cabinets.  Almost all the does are pregnant.  Some are sick with Myxomatosis and Syphilis.

Please visit their website and read more HERE and make a donation if you can.  £3.00 is the smallest and every bit helps.

Are you ready for some bunny love?

The Valentine's bunnies have already been selected.  Widget organized some kind of wierd selection process involving carrots, spreadsheets and questionaires.  Whilst he was amusing himself I chose THE perfect socks for the occasion.

I chose a pink, slightly fuzzy one, for people who like pink, fuzzy things and a very smart black and white stripy one for those not so keen on the pink side of things.

These are super special limited edition bunnies and are only available from my Half an Acre shop on Not On The High Street.com

It's a bit worrying that January is nearly half over.  Better get on with the tax return!

A quiet festive season? - Part 3

Continuing the 'Parter' theme, of what I got up to on the crafting and making front over Christmas, I present ...

A fuzzy green apple.  Made for Bun Son 2, who wanted one for his favourite toy horse.  He also wanted 'a friend for Horsey' (Horsey being said fave toy).  I bought what was probably the hardest pattern in the world.  Or it could be because the only other pattern I have ever bought and made was for pyjama bottoms.
Anyway ..... I managed it.  He's a big dodgy in places ...

But looks pretty good if you don't have too close an inspection.  He is made from brown suedette stuff with cotton apple fabric (requested by Bun Son).

I am also determined to learn to crochet as I have a need to make a miniature army of ninja zombi amigurumi creatures.  This book is on its way ..

In the meantime I am teaching myself stitches and generally getting tangled up and using it all as an excuse to shop for lovely colour cotton yarns, needles, hooks, markers and other habby bits.

I'm making the little dog pictured in the book (for BunSon 3).  I've got as far as half a head, an ear and a nose.  It's going better than i anticipated.